Compared to his previous bodyweight strength training, the two new nocturnal exercises were equally demanding. However, Ken's stamina and mental energy possessed a formidable capacity for recovery. When fatigue set in, a mere two-minute rest was sufficient to restore him.
But with the sunrise, he distinctly felt this restorative ability waning rapidly. Post-exertion recovery now required at least seven or eight minutes. He was certain this wasn't due to accumulated physical or mental fatigue; it was directly correlated with the arrival of daylight.
Ken opened his document and noted:
The conversion of internal energy may be linked to nocturnal factors—perhaps temperature, moonlight, tidal forces, atmospheric pressure changes, etc.
Henceforth, his daily logs would include temperature readings at various times and daily sunrise timings.
Shortly after 9 AM, Ken left for the gym. On a weekday morning during work hours, the place was nearly deserted, with even the trainers yet to arrive. Ken began his workout alone. Typically, muscle and strength building involves training one or two major muscle groups per day (e.g., chest and triceps today, back and shoulders tomorrow, legs and biceps/forearms the next), cycling over four to five days to allow for recovery and supercompensation.
But Ken was different. His recovery speed far surpassed the norm. Even if diminished during the day, it allowed him to train near his maximum load, rest briefly, and resume, effectively bypassing normal physiological limits. He started with heavy, near-max lifts for all major muscle groups, then focused specifically on isolated left-arm exercises like curls.
Around noon, Coach Shen, the trainer from the previous day's wager, arrived. Spotting Ken, he immediately came over to greet him. Clearly, Ken's performance had earned his genuine respect.
Sensitive to Ken's preference for solitary training, Shen didn't linger or chat for long.
…
Were it not for the risk of drawing undue attention by staying all day, Ken would have remained until closing. At noon, he contacted the tenant of his own apartment. The six-month lease was ending this month, so he informed them of his decision to reclaim the property for personal use and not renew. Given it was already the 19th, he offered a flexible move-out date before the 15th of the following month, free of additional charge. The tenant had no objections, as finding another place nearby wasn't difficult, and they had been considering a larger space anyway.
For Ken, this meant his monthly housing cost would more than double. However, recent days had made it clear that his current situation—living in a cramped, easily-observed shared rental—was no longer suitable. Being temporarily unemployed also freed him from commute constraints. Living in his own property would undoubtedly make it easier to safeguard his secrets.
In the evening, Ken added the woman introduced by Zhao Lei on WeChat. After greetings and a brief self-introduction, he got straight to the point:
"May I ask if you have any plans tomorrow afternoon?" (Tomorrow was Saturday.)
She replied: "Shouldn't have. Why?"
Ken: "If you don't mind, could we move our meeting to tomorrow afternoon?"
An afternoon meeting meant avoiding a meal—a coffee or beverage shop would suffice. One party not eating at all during a dinner would seem odd and potentially off-putting. With drinks, he could symbolically take a sip or barely touch his, drawing far less attention.
The woman agreed readily: "Sure!"
Ken then asked about her convenience and let her choose a familiar establishment. After she sent the cafe's name and location, neither initiated further small talk, a mutual lack of enthusiasm evident.
That night, Ken refrained from extensive vision or breath-holding training, or any additional calisthenics. He worried that an unexpected urge to feed might arise before the scheduled meeting, leading to prolonged sleep. While he didn't anticipate the blind date leading anywhere, standing someone up would be profoundly rude and reflect poorly on Zhao Lei and Wang Han.
Staying awake all night posed no boredom. He immersed himself in online medical literature, particularly hematology and infectious diseases, along with foundational life science articles. He wasn't aiming for expertise but sought the knowledge to better direct his search for the source of "X." Following the two feedings, not only had his strength and stamina increased, but his enhanced focus and energy also boosted his memory and processing speed. Comprehending the same volume of material now took a third of the time it would have before, even at his best. Previously, sustained high-intensity work or study lasted only four or five hours before requiring rest. Now, freed from sleep and food, with rapid energy recovery, he could immerse himself in a single task for extended periods.
A little past 1 AM, Ken stretched, glanced at the night outside, and left his rented room. Instead of heading downstairs, he went up to the rooftop.
Aside from occasional trips to air bedding, Ken seldom came up here, especially this late. To his surprise, the rooftop was occupied. A young couple, entwined against the parapet, started at the sound of the door opening. Recognizing Ken in the light from the hallway, they simply nodded a greeting, their alarm fading. Ken recognized them as the recent graduate couple living a floor below. Returning the nod, he tactfully moved to the opposite side of the rooftop, leaning on the railing and gazing into the distance as if seeking fresh air.
He had long sensed that his physical state improved after sunset, though the reason remained elusive. Standing under the night sky, the question resurfaced, more pressing than ever: What was it about the night?